Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-04

rather tall, but so in the shadow
that she could not see his features
plainly. She at once thought he must
be one of her servants, and was about
to reprove him for intruding, when he
moved toward her. Then she appre-
ciated that he was no earthly visitant,
for, as he passed mirror, she could
distinctly see the reflection of herself
and the light through his body.
When within few feet of her he
stood still, pointed several times with
his arm toward the south, and seemed
to be trying by signs to communicate
something. Then he folded his arms
and looked at her. She dropped
on sofa utterly terrified and
unconscious. Meanwhile her piece
entered and found her in this
condition, the ghostly visitant
having disappeared without being OBJ
served by Miss Smith, who, when she
heard the story, was inclined to think
of robbers. Some of the servants were
called and told about the matter.
Diligent search was made of the
whole house, but no trace of the in
truder discovered. When few days
after this occurred the grave OF Mr..
Stewart was robbed, Mrs. Stewart,
though not superstitious woman,
naturally felt that the ghostly visitor
had come to warn her of the coming
event.
Since that time queer noises have
constantly been heard within the
walls of the Stewart place. Footsteps
| in, tho Cv,1onI.I ,rf n,lInrx- alan ID ir,ry
as of trowels and chisels, as though u
gang of masons were at work at the
grand marble walls, was one OF the
most noticeable sounds. At first
Mrs. Stewart became very nervous
from the occurrence of these sounds
so persistently, but at length became
accustomed to them. Great pains
were taken to keep the matter silent,
as it was feared that the value of the
house would be compromised by a
ghostly reputation, but in select cir
cles people looked knowingly at each
other when the Stewart mansion was
mentioned.
After Mrs. Stewards death none of
the heirs were willing to live in the
white marble palace, not even Judge
Hilton, whose nerves can scarcely be
affected easily. The executors tried
to sell the proparty to the New York
Club, and were willing to take far less
than its value, but for some reason
negotiations were suddenly broken off,
and since then nothing has been done
in regard to the most splendid private
mansion on earth. Perhaps the club
men heard the ghost story. The SER
want who narrated the above story said
that the Stewart family, or Mrs. Stew
art at least, were aware who the ghost
was.
The following facts pointed to the
individuality of the person; Mr..
Stewart, as is we'll known, made
contract for the material Of which the
house is built just before the war.
The contract was based on the prices
prevailing at the time. When the
war came the price of labor arose and
it was impossible for the contractor to
fill his contract without ruin to himself
and family. He went to Mr.. Stewart,
stated these facts, and asked to have
the contract annulled and new
one substituted. MIR. Stewart re-
fused to show him any mercy,
and the house was therefore
built at the contractors ruin. Soon
after it's completion the poor fellow
died, leaving his family destitute. In
this dilemma his wife went to MIR.
Stewart and asked small return for
the money her husband had lost in
building his house. She wanted $4,000,
it is said, or less than one hours value
of Mr.. Stewards s income, but the latter
refused, saying: "Your husband made
the contract and he had to fulfill it,"
After this she is said to have ap-
pealed to Mrs. Stewart, who
referred her back to Mr..
Stewart. She once more called OH the
latter, but with a like result. Then
she cursed him, and swore she would
haunt his house when she died, and
that he never should have any health
while in it. Strangely enough her
prophecy proved true; he never had
any good health from that day until
his death, and was always ailing
while living in the marble palace. The
ghost seen by Mrs. Stewart is said to
be that of the contractor.-[St. Louis
Globe Democrat.